Microsoft computer outage creates panic worldwide

© PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Archives

As he took office on Friday morning, many companies reported their inability to operate the company's computer system. The screens displaying the “blue screen of death”, or “the blue screen of death”, as computer scientists call it, will not have been unworthy of their title. The breakdown is such that planes, hospitals and even the London Stock Exchange are impacted. Whose fault is it? ?

All over the world, the outage caused by the CrowdStrike software with Microsoft's Windows operating system is immobilizing companies. As relayed by Franceinfo, France has clarified the situation on suspicions of hacking, and this is not the case. Indeed, the government center for monitoring, alerting and responding to computer attacks states that “no evidence indicates that this incident is linked to an attack”. Shortly after, the boss of CrowdStrike confirms the situation by estimating that it “is not a security incident or a cyberattack”.

An unfortunate event that causes both companies to fall on the stock market. For Microsoft, the fall is close to 1% loss on the NASDAQ. But for CrowdStrike, the fall is harsher, approaching 12%.

The massive bug is said to have originated from an update on one of CrowdStrike's software programs. Particularly renowned in the cybersecurity community for its flagship actions, having notably made it possible to correct the situation regarding the hacking of the Democratic Party by Russian intelligence services or to flush out the hacker of Sony Pictures in 2014, which was none other than North Korea, the fall is all the more scathing. Then created in 2011 and listed on the stock market in 2019, the company is based in Austin (Texas) and was in full expansion. In April 2024, its quarterly financial results showed an increase in net revenues of… 8620.98%.

Trying to mitigate the general panic as best they can, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz says, “Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of Crowdstrike customers.”

However, early Friday evening, the problems with the computer system had still not been resolved. Transavia claims in particular that an impact will also be observed on its flights the following day. In France, the Minister of Transport is significantly more optimistic. He states on X that “the airlines and airports affected by the computer failure are gradually restoring their services. »

In order to reassure as best as possible, George Kurtz declares on X that he will continually inform everyone through his X account and LinkedIn, as well as on the company's website, of the progress of the fixes that would allow a return to normal.

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